


Master Pole Bender

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 14:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11807652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Clara and Josh go for a peaceful ride along the beach. Clara belongs to clara-diamondsong on tumblr.





	Master Pole Bender

Clara warmed her hands around the mug of hot coffee as she sat on the back of Josh’s wagon. The man himself rode his horse hard down the polebending course, and Clara gasped as he made a sharp turn around the far pole and then weaved through them with the ease and confidence of long practice. He did this every morning, trying out the track to be sure that it was okay for the riders who came by Moorland to train their horses.

As Josh pulled up to a hard stop at the finish line, Clara put the mug down and clapped and cheered.

“Good job!” she commended him, smiling as he grinned and walked towards her after dismounting.

“Thanks,” said Josh, giving her a kiss. “And thanks for the coffee, too.”

“Want me to untack your horse for you?” asked Clara, hopping down from the wagon and being careful not to jostle the mug of hot liquid. Josh picked up the cup and took a sip.

“Normally I do it,” said Josh. “But since you’re offering…” Clara laughed and got to work removing his horse’s tack. He was such a beautiful horse, and Josh often wondered if Clara hung around him so much just to get to see his horse more often.

“You know I don’t mind at all,” said Clara. “I’ll be back, I’m just going to brush him down and put him in his stall to rest.”

“He won’t mind being in the paddock for a while,” said Josh. “I usually turn him out for a few hours.”

“Yeah, and I bet the Bobcatz just love looking after your horse,” said Clara with a roll of her eyes.

“Are you jealous?” asked Josh, a teasing lilt in his voice.

“Of them? Please,” said Clara with a scoff. “Why should I be jealous of those snobs? You’re my boyfriend, after all.”

“I know they’re jealous of you,” said Josh. “They still fawn over me.”

“They can look but not touch,” said Clara. She led Josh’s horse away, taking him into the stableyard, and brushed him down before cleaning his hooves. Josh kept his horse’s tack in his wagon so he always knew where it was. And besides, then there was less of a chance of the Bobcatz stealing part of it for nefarious purposes.

While Clara was putting Josh’s horse in the paddock that the Bobcatz used for training, one of them sauntered over to her.

“Why do you always have to look after Josh’s horse, Clara?” the girl asked, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“Because he’s my boyfriend and it’s nice to do things for your boyfriend,” said Clara.

“God, Clara, do you always need to stake your claim?” said the girl with a scoff. “You don’t need to rub it in.”

“Actually, I do, so you get the idea,” said Clara. “Because apparently, you don’t get the idea yet.”

“Whatever,” said the girl with a roll of her eyes.

“Let’s go for a ride on the beach today,” said Clara when she got back to Josh’s wagon. Her boyfriend was still slowly sipping on his coffee, even though he didn’t really need it to wake up. Running the polebending course first thing in the morning woke him up well enough, the coffee was just something that he liked to have to start the day. And it was something for Clara to get for him.

“After the General has cooled down a bit,” said Josh. “I’ll just supervise a few riders first.”

“Yeah, sure thing,” said Clara.

Around lunchtime, Josh put his pole bending poles away and locked up his wagon while Clara put together a picnic basket and got her horse ready. They started their ride behind the pole bending area, chatting as they rode slowly along the beach. Occasionally, Clara’s horse would stop to graze on little clumps of beach grass, but she didn’t mind. She was enjoying the warm sunshine, and the sea breeze, and Josh’s company. 

Josh was enjoying the view of Clara more than he was enjoying the beach, if he was being completely honest. The way the breeze ruffled her pink-tipped blonde hair, the way her blue eyes shone as she laughed about something he’d said, the easy way she rode her horse.

“You really are the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” said Josh.

“Aww, thank you,” said Clara, blushing. “And you’re very handsome.”

“Heh, y’know, I hear that a lot but I feel like you’re the only girl who sees beyond that,” said Josh.

“What’s not to love? You’re kind, you love pole bending and your horse, you’re always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it, you’re so patient with the new riders even when they mess up your course, and you didn’t blame anyone for stealing your trophies. Plus, even though it annoys me, you’re patient with the Bobcatz even when they keep throwing themselves at you,” said Clara.

“Someday they’ll find their real true love,” said Josh. “I know I have to crush their dreams, but I want to be nice about it, y’know?” Clara nodded, smiling. Josh was such a gentleman.

When they reached the picnic tables at the end of the beach, they both dismounted and gave their horses freedom to roam with the full knowledge that they wouldn’t wander too far. Clara set up the food at a picnic table while Josh made the horses comfortable and took a seat.

“This is the best time of day,” said Josh as he took a big bite of his sandwich.

“Before the sun hits the water and the fish stink is all you can smell,” said Clara, wrinkling her nose. Josh chuckled.

“Yeah,” said Josh. “That does stink. Literally.” Clara giggled, picking up a sandwich and taking a bite out of it.

They ate their sandwiches and drank iced tea (Josh loved it) while continuing to chat about idle things. Clara talked about the horses she was currently training, and about some of the weirder Jorvegians she helped out, while Josh talked about some of the funnier things that the Bobcatz got up to. Clara almost sprayed iced tea out her nose when Josh regaled her with a story about how Loretta’s horse had eaten Tan’s hairband and then Tan had sent new riders on a wild goose chase in order to find it.

“I don’t know why that’s so funny,” said Clara, still giggling.

“And Tan was so mad when she found out it was Loretta’s horse,” said Josh. “She didn’t talk to her all day.”

“Wow, and I thought nothing could break them up,” said Clara.

“Oh, they fight every few days,” said Josh. “But they always make up. You know, the way girls do.”

“Girls like them, anyway,” said Clara. “I don’t understand how they work.”

“Yeah, you and me both,” said Josh.

They headed back to the pole bending area together after throwing away the garbage, and Clara sat on the back of Josh’s wagon again and watched with him while riders rode the course. It was nice.


End file.
